Grissom & His Lady: 3 All He Needs
by Hazeleyedone
Summary: It's been a week since Gil saw or even talked to Heather. He goes looking for an explanation for the silence between them. I don't own these characters; they just entertain me.


All He Needs

Gil Grissom raised his hand to knock on the large door before him, but before he could complete the action the door swung open and Jerome Kessler halted his departure from the house. The two men made eye contact. "I remember you; you're her friend Grissom right?" he inquired.

"That's right Mr. Kessler." Grissom offered to shake hands and the man accepted his offer but had difficulty doing so because he was carrying a small child who clearly did not want to be carried.

Well she's all yours." Kessler said referring to his ex-wife. I can't take anymore of her today. She's up stairs. Go on up there if you want." Kessler was obviously unhappy about something. Grissom wondered if they had argued and if so; what about.

Allison Kessler was still struggling to be free. "I say bye-bye to Nana." the child complained loudly.

"Next time okay Allie? Nana's busy and we need to go now." Kessler tried once more to exit and Grissom politely moved from his path.

"No. Bye-bye hug. Noooowwwww!" Allison wailed as he stepped out onto the porch,

Grissom winced as he wondered if Kessler's ear drum had ruptured as a result of his granddaughter's shrill sounding tantrum that was taking place so close to the side of his head. He didn't think it was possible but was proven wrong when the little girl grew louder with each step that carried her away from the house. At the door the child's face had been bright red with anger, but as they neared the edge of the porch Grissom watched her anger give way to sorrow and hot tears started to spill down her face as her bottom lip trembled. "Papa, have to hug bye-bye" she pleaded kicking her small feet against his thighs and giving her grandfather a withering look that she had clearly seen her grandmother use.

Kessler recognized the look all too well himself and Grissom watched the man visibly shiver in response. "Allison, don't look at me that way!"In reply the tiny girl crossed her arms over her chest and stared harder.

"I give Nana bye-bye hug always! You mean!" the two-year-old complained.

Grissom felt the soft caress of silk against his arm as Heather Kessler came through the open front door of her house brushing past him on her way to the child in her former husband's arms. "Jerome Kessler!" She did not speak more just held out her arms to take the emotionally wounded child from him.

Allison reached out to her like a drowning man reaches for a life buoy. Heather cuddled the girl close, and patted her back. "It's okay Honey; I'm here. Stop crying now. I'm here."

"I want give Nana hug bye-bye; like always. He says no." The girl tattled. "He mean." She pointed an accusing finger at her grandfather.

"He's just in a hurry Honey." Heather tried to explain.

Allison crossed her arms over he chest again, "HE MEAN!" she insisted.

Heather looked from one to the other of them, and then at Grissom as she chose her words carefully. It wasn't very nice of him, but you're not being very nice either Honey."

"He started it!" Allison declared nodding her head for emphasize.

"Just hug me." Heather said squeezing the child tightly and pressing her little face into her neck so she could hide the fact that she was trying not to laugh. Heather looked at Grissom and smiled while rolling her eyes.

Allison held tight to her for a long moment and then, lifting her face to see Heather she declared, "I stay with you Nana; Papa grouchy now."

"No Allison, you are going with Papa."

"NO!" she wailed and gave Heather the same look that had made Kessler shiver, but it didn't work to the girl's advantage when used on Heather.

Heather firmly cupped Allison chin in her hand. "What did I say Allison?"

The girl broke eye contact under Heather's stern gaze and bowed her head. "I go with Papa." She pouted.

"That's right. Now look at me." She gently crooked her index finger under the girl's chin again. "You be good today okay. Give Papa a break. I'll see you tomorrow and we'll go ride the horses okay."

That cheered the small girl up immediately. "Okay, I be good!" She beamed and hugged Heather again so tightly that the woman squeaked. She squirmed to be free of Heather's embrace after a moment and Heather knelt and set her on the ground patting her as she ran for Kessler's car. "C'mon Papa." She sang out.

He looked down at his granddaughter and shook his head in amazement of her mood shift, and then looked at Heather and mouthed "Thank you."

She gave him a look that made Grissom cringe and asked him quietly so Allison could not hear,"What in Hell is wrong with you, J.J. All she wanted was a hug!"

He gestured toward the Christmas red silk robe she was wearing, "Heather, you were in the shower."

"So what; she's two, she couldn't care less about that yet."

"Yes I know, but how was she going get into the bathroom. She can barely reach the knobs yet and she still has a hard time turning them."

"Open the door for her next time you fool." She hissed.

"Oh like you would have appreciated that!" he hurled the words at her.

"First, I didn't say you had to come in with her, and second …oh never mind, just go before I hurt you." She whispered.

He hurried to the car and fastened Allison into her car seat. When he was stepping into the vehicle he called "Heather?"

She eyed him with forced calm as Allison was now watching from the car window; where as before she had been hidden from view on the other side of his station wagon.

She arched an eyebrow in response.

"One O'clock tomorrow down at the stable right? You'll be there on time? I can't be late for my appointment."

She nodded without a word, blew a kiss at Allison who was watching her closely from the car, and then turned on her heel and walked back into her house; leaving the door open for Grissom to come through.

He closed the door behind himself and studied her quietly. She was standing to the left of the door with her back to the wall, and the sole of one bare foot rested flat just above the base board. Her hair was wet. In fact the front of her robe was damp in spots, as if she had pulled it directly over her wet body without drying off first. There were still tiny droplets of moisture visible on her neck and cleavage. Evidently she had heard Allison's hair-raising tantrum and come running fast. Her eyes were closed, but she knew he was watching her. She felt his gaze; he was certain of that. She inhaled deeply and then blew the breath out, making her chest rise and fall. He was mesmerized,

"I'm sorry you witnessed that." She said without opening her eyes.

"No big deal. She's just a little girl, and she wanted her hug. I can understand that Heather."

.

Her eyes fluttered open and she wrinkled her brow, "I meant he and I. It was tasteless of us to carry on like that in front of you Grissom. I apologize.

"No harm done. People argue everyday." He shrugged.

"Then what is making you uncomfortable? If it's not that then what is it? I feel your tension."

He shrugged and looked at a spot on the wall above her shoulder. "It's seven fifteen in the morning. Did he spend the night here Heather? He could look at her again now that the words were out of his mouth. He watched mild confusion disappear from her face as she came to understand the reason for his unease. She silently held out a hand to him and he stepped forward and took it in both of his.

"He was early picking Allison up today; much earlier than I expected. He woke me, and that made me grumpy. He could have called to say he was stopping in earlier than usual. He said he was going to pack her things since they weren't ready. I told him that if I'd known to expect him so early they would have been, and stomped off to go take my shower so that we wouldn't argue in front of Allison. I was rinsing shampoo out of my hair when I heard her yell that she needed her hug before she could leave. Grissom, he and I…. we're not involved with each other in any way except for raising our granddaughter together. We certainly aren't sleeping together, and there is no chance that will happen. We're done with each other; we had our chance years ago and we made a mess of it. You aren't really worried about us…are you? I told you last week I'd come back to see _you_ again, remember.

"Yes I do, and I haven't heard a word from you since that afternoon. That's why I came by this morning" He chastised.

"That's because I told _you_ to _call_ _me _and you haven't" she smirked. He was watching her watch him and she knew he was puzzled. ."I told you to call me when you had a night off remember. I assumed you were either working or that you had changed your mind about spending time with me."

He frowned. She wasn't just teasing him. She was serious. "Why do you think I would change my mind?"

She pulled her hand from his and stated quietly, "Because you did last time."

There was one small flicker of pain in her eyes and then she tucked it away someplace where he could not see it. He tried to think of what to say. There was nothing. She had spoken the truth. He opened his mouth to speak and then closed it. She did not want another apology; she hadn't wanted the first one. He paced in front of her trying to think of the words to heal the pain he had caused her. After several moments he gave up the search and without saying a word he stopped pacing and pulled her into his arms. He just held her against him, breathing in the intoxicating smell of vanilla and orchids that he had begun to think of as _her_ scent. After several minutes he said, "I screwed up." He felt her nod her head against his shoulder. "Please forgive me." After a short wait that felt to him like an eternity she nodded her head against his shoulder again. She eased out of his arms and headed for the stairs holding tightly to his hand. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and they walked together up the first flight of stairs. When they reached the second landing and headed for the third he kissed the top of her head and whispered into her hair, "Where are you taking me?"

She tipped her head backward, and gazed up at him with a look that said, "You have got to be kidding me."

Then she smiled and said, "Well I was planning on going back to bed, and I assumed you'd be joining me. That is unless you feel you need someplace more… Shall we say…aberrant than a bed Mr. Grissom. If your so inclined, I do still have a storage room full of playthings. If you would prefer, we can go there instead.

He looked down at her and kissed her upturned mouth lightly. I don't need props or toys this morning Heather. All I need is you.


End file.
